Loud rumble sound and engine smell

Should be able to confirm, having a look with a flashlight, if you scrunch down there.

That's too bad...

 

Probably stolen catalyst.

You can safely drive it short distances, but the primary risk is to your hearing and the secondary will be getting pulled over for a noise violation.

You can use the Toyota part (back-ordered) or the Magnaflow part (status unknown) legally. Every other solution would be outlaw, but could still get you by until your next biennial smog inspection anyway.

 

Now wait a minute when I drove my Gen 2 with just the manifold the pipe was completely unbolted from the back of the exhaust manifold and undone at the rear section ie catalyst removed properly I drove from my house down to the exhaust place which is 9 mi from my house maybe a little more possibly and drove down there pretty smartly too listening to the radio it pretty normal volume a little bit with the radio not on because somebody called and it really wasn't too bad even when I got on and it 45 mph to go to 55 not nary as bad as it could Even taking foot off the gas at 55 to slow down pretty uneventful not too bad I'm seriously in North Carolina I could probably drive like that all the time probably not really good for the engine and it's valves.

 

Well.. doublecheck on the third party detail. The California Air Resource Board did file an official exemption for the Magnaflow part, meaning it is totally legal for installation and usage within California.

They could have some other hang-up about it though.

Apart from that, I've got nothing to disabuse you of your sentiment, unfortunately.

 

Move out of California? heh